Top 3 tips 

• Put your own oxygen mask on first. Take the time to look after yourself first - you can’t help anyone else if you’re running on empty. Even if it’s just 5 mins for a cuppa and a chance to unwind, take that time. 

• Don’t be afraid to talk about mental health. If you’re concerned about someone else, ask them if they’re okay, but make sure to ask them twice because most people’s first response will be something like “I’m fine, just tired”.  

• Always be kind. None of us know what anyone else is coping with, either at work or in their personal life. We could all benefit from people being kinder to each other. It could be the little bit of light in someone’s day that helps them keep going.   

Resources 

https://www.lifelines.scot/ 

https://www.ruok.org.au/ 

https://www.samh.org.uk/ 

https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/blue-light-programme/ 

https://royalfoundation.com/mental-health/ 

https://drdavidhamilton.com/the-5-side-effects-of-kindness/ 

Books  

The Mental Health And Wellbeing Of Healthcare Practitioners - Esther Murray and Jo Brown (includes a chapter on our campaign) 

 The Little Book Of Kindness - Dr David Hamilton 

Biography

I've worked in the SAS for over 22 years, initially in ACC before moving to operational duties and I've been based in West Lothian ever since. My mental health has been negatively affected by some harrowing incidents I have responded to and I became frustrated by the lack of support sometimes being offered afterwards, so Ruth Anderson and I developed a campaign for informal peer support. It was called “R U OK?”, based on the Australian mental health charity, and I hope it helped promote conversations about mental health and well-being within the SAS.